Currently the most common drive chains are the inverted tooth silent chain and roller chains. The inverted tooth silent chains are often utilized with sprockets in automotive applications, such as transmissions, transfer cases, engine timing systems and the like. As shown in the prior art example in FIG. 1A, inverted tooth silent chains 10 are formed by an arrangement of meshing link plates 12a and guide link plates 12b that extend in lateral and longitudinal directions. The link plates 12a, 12b are interlaced and joined by pins 14, which allow pivoting of the plates 12a, 12b about the pins 14. The meshing link plates 12a are configured with teeth members that mate with and contact the teeth 16 of a sprocket 18 to provide power transmission. The guide links 12b are configured to maintain the chain 10 on the center of the sprocket 18. When viewed in the lateral direction (as illustrated in FIG. 1B), a typical chain 10 includes a number of meshing link plates 12a alternated with a number of guide link plates 12b disposed on the outer edges of the chain 10. Meshing link plates 12a are also arranged in an overlapping manner. For example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1B, meshing link plates 12a′ are arranged in an overlapping manner with meshing link plates 12a″ that are disposed between meshing link plates 12a′. 
Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, roller chain 20 designs are linkwise formed by an arrangement of meshing link plates. More specifically, roller chain 20 designs include a series of inner links 22 (an example of which is shown in FIG. 2B) and outer links 24 (an example of which is shown in FIG. 2C). The inner links 22 include a pair of cylindrical bushings 26 that are disposed within bushing holes 28 in a pair of inner plates 30, and rollers 32 that are rotatable on the bushings 26. The outer links 24 include two pins 34 that are secured to pin holes 36 in a pair of outer plates 38. One of the pins 34 of an outer link 24a is configured to extend through one of the bushings 26 of an adjacent inner link 22a, while the other pin 34 of the outer link 24 is configured to extend through a bushing 26 of a second adjacent inner link 22b, as shown in FIG. 2A. The outer plates 38 of the outer links 24 are disposed on the outside of the adjacent inner links 22a, 22b. The pins 34 and bushings 26 are designed to be relatively rotatable. The roller chain 20 meshes with gear teeth of sprockets such that a roller 32 is configured to be disposed within each groove formed between adjacent gear teeth of the sprockets.
Durability of drive chains are dependent on wear from the chain link to guide plates contact for inverted tooth silent chains and chain link to chain pin contact for roller chains. Link wear may also contribute to tooth wear.
Chain stretch is also a durability concern. Chain stretch is a result of material wear on the bushings or pins in a chain. As the material wears away from these surfaces, a chain will gradually elongate.
This disclosure is directed to addressing the above problems and other problems as summarized below.